MSc Consumer Behaviour Session 2: Consumer Culture and Meaning

Dr Gretchen Larsen

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Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
discuss the meaning and nature of culture explain why meaning is important in consumer behaviour

describe the meaning transfer model

explain and identify examples of consumer rituals

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Culture is
dynamic blueprints for action and interpretations that enable a person to operate in a manner acceptable to other members of the culture (Arnould, Prince and Zinkhan, 2004, p.74) Cultural categories: define and organise time, space, nature, the sacred and society Cultural principles: allow things to be grouped into cultural categories, ranked and interrelated; include values, ideals, norms and beliefs

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Cultural Values
Cultural values: enduring beliefs about desirable outcomes that
transcend specific situations and shape ones behaviour

Types of values: 1. Instrumental: shared beliefs about how people should behave 2. Terminal: desirable life goals Values measures: LOV and Rokeach

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Cultural Rituals
Behaviour Source Cosmology Kinds of Rituals Religious Examples Baptism, meditation, mass, Christmas Healing, channelling Performing arts Graduation, marriage Festivals, holidays Parades, elections, trials Business negotiations, gift giving Mealtime, bedtime, birthday, moving Grooming, possession

Magical Aesthetic
Cultural values Group learning Rites of Passage Calendrical Civic Small group Family Personal

Individual aims and emotions

Biology

Ethological

Greeting, mating

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Consumption Meaning
What do we mean by meaning?
value in use cultural meaning market vs. non-market sources of meaning symbolic meaning of a brand: knowledge, feelings and attitudes towards a brand

Frameworks
Semiotics: the science of meaning Cultural capital: distinction via the meaning of things

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The Semiotic Triangle

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Cultural Capital
Things give us distinction i.e. higher status within a
social group symbolic capital.

Three types: 1. Embodied: behaviour, manner of dress, way of conducting

yourself, speech, behaviour

2. Objectified: cultural objects either owned or appreciated 3. Institutionalised: given by an institution

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Types of Meaning
1. Utilitarian: perceived usefulness for performing functional tasks

2. Sacred/secular: things that are designed/discovered to be

supremely important

3. Hedonic: associated with specific feelings or perpetuate feelings 4. Social: identity (individual and group), self expression

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Movement of Meaning

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Consumption Rituals
Possession rituals: allow ownership of product meanings e.g.
customising, decorating, personalising, displaying

Exchange rituals: the passing on of symbolic meaning

Grooming rituals: repeated actions to draw perishable meaning

from goods e.g. clean, re-present, restore

Divestment rituals: removing meaning through relinquishment of

possessions

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Summary
Culture is shared and influences behaviour Values, myths, symbols and rituals help define culture

Consumer goods can become symbols through the cultural meaning attached to them
Different kinds of meaning exist

Meaning is transferable through instruments such as consumer rituals

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